Instructional Technology Reflection

This class has changed my understanding of instructional technology. It is not just about the technology resources available; computers, iPads, projectors, doc cams. It is about teaching the life skills of utilizing technology effectively and purposefully.

The most important thing I would change about my original job description is the primary objective. My original thought was working with the technologies itself. While this is part of the job, I think the more important part is being a resource for other teachers regarding all of the different technology standards and strategies for implementing these standards in the classroom. People often think that using technology well is just best practices, but effective technology strategies need to be on the forefront of our mind, not on the back burner.

    I would definitely need to add to my Technical Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities section of my job description. It would need to include knowledge of all the technology standards: 21^st Century Skills, NETS for students and teachers, state standards for technology, TPCK, Universal Design for Learning, Nine Essential Instructional Strategies, and Digital Equity. Knowledge of those standards and guidelines are at the heart of the instructional technology specialist job.

    I had never heard of any of these technology standards/ guidelines before this class. And while I did find things in the standards that I already do as a teacher, there was so much more I learned and got ideas about, after studying the standards.

One thing that has not changed in my job description and definition is the mindset that technology is not something that we need to make time for one day a week. Technology should be integrated seamlessly and consistently throughout the day. We can use technology to better deliver instruction that we would have had to teach anyway.

    In the future I will consult the guidelines when planning my lessons to be able to include them in my instruction. I will use the matrices and planning tools I developed in this class to ensure that I am including as many technology strategies and practices as possible in my day-to-day instruction.

My knowledge of the existence of TPCK, learning theories, Universal Design, Essential Strategies, and divide equity has made me an exponentially better teacher. My understanding of all the different guidelines and standards has helped me change my mindset about instructional technology. It is not just about the technologies available, it is about the effective implementation of them and the strategies we use to teach them. The guidelines are a fantastic resource that are easy to use and contain great teaching best practices.

My TPCK planning tool Pinterest board is a collection of internet links that allows me to easily and quickly locate all the different technology standards and guidelines. While the guidelines may be easy to use, they are not always easy to find and maintain. In my Pinterest board I also “pinned” tools I have found created by other teachers utilizing the technology guidelines. My tool allows me to easily “pin” new resources I find in the same place. It is flexible and continually changing with my needs. I can also allow other teachers, many that I do not know even, have access to my tool, and even edit my tool and add their own resources. This constantly changing and growing collaboration of teachers is a very exciting resource. I think this model I am using as a teacher could be a really cool idea for a project for students. That is definitely something I will be looking into in the future.